This week's GOT episode was
much like its predecessor, compelling TV without much happening. However,
here was a lot of setup for future developments that could prove our prediction
right that Season 4 of this great show could be its best season yet.

Monday, April 14, 2014

The Boy king dies !, the boy king dies! , the boy king dies! down goes Joffrey!, down goes Joffrey! Forgive our joy at watching a boy die a slow and horrible death but never in the history of fiction has a boy earned such a death as much as that spiteful, cowardly, and all round twat Joffrey Baratheon.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

With tragic events at the end of last season depicting the heartbreaking and bloody destruction of house Stark as a force to be reckoned with in Westeros, it's quite clear that this season that House Lannister will be the main focus of the show as while they have destroyed one of their enemies, it looks like a host of more formidable opponents have taken their place.

You can say what you want about the politics of Game of Thrones but what you can't say about the popular HBO show is that it isn't worth the watch. Off the back of a marvellous third season which ended with one of the most harrowing 15 minutes of TV I've seen as house Stark met a truly grisly end at the hands of their treacherous bannermen lord Frey and lord Bolton, Season 4 looks like it shaping up to be the best season yet as the backstabbings, betrayals, intrigue, and revenge murders are not going to be in short supply.

For the last two seasons we've seen House Stark, the house we know and like the most, endure defeat after defeat and commit fateful mistake after fateful mistake in the name of love and honour from Robb marrying Talisa instead of a Frey girl which would have secured him a crucial alliance in his war against the Lannisters to Catelyn Stark releasing Jame Lannister, a brilliant political hostage and bargaining tool in favour of house stark if ever they're was one.

But probably the biggest mistake made by the Starks was made by Ned Stark (Brilliantly played by Sean Bean) who because of his noble but ultimately fool hardy adherence to doing the honorable thing refused to seize the throne after learning Joffrey Baratheon, son of King Robert, was actually a product of incest between Jamie Lannister and his sister Cersei which eventually costs him his head and started the "war of the five kings".

However, telling from the numerous trailers and previews that have been in circulation since early February hyping the shows' return today, it looks like the Lannisters might get a taste of what they have spent the last three seasons dishing out. Being the richest, most feared and ultimately most disliked house in Westeros, the Lannisters in a poorer show would have also been the most hated house among the audience but thanks to great writing and top class performances, particularly from Charles Dance and Peter Dinklage, the Lannisters, in spite of their abominable acts, are always all too human despite being the shows' main antagonist.

Things don't look so great for Joffrey this season as Jack Gleeson (who has been brilliant portraying the sadistic boy king) will be leaving the show which means fans across the world who love this show will get to see what they have been waiting three years to see: Joffrey meeting his maker (hopefully) in the most gratuitously bloody, painful and slow manner possible.

This new arc of the Lannister clan getting a taste of their own medicine is a good development in the story as save the epic Battle of Blackwater Bay near the end of season two, the Lannisters have largely been shielded from the consequences of a war they started. The family hasn't suffered any real losses save a distant thre distant cousin ( two murdered by a vengeful stark Bannerman and one at the hands of his own cousin) or any real strategic defeats except for several embarrassing defeats in the field of battle to a much smaller army.

The Starks however, from the outset, have either been betrayed, killed or scattered at every turn and it has been one of the most painful experiences as a viewer watching the heartbreaking destruction of house Stark as it had been one of the few houses that actually hated playing the Game of Thrones but has found itself ruthlessly punished left, right and centre at the hands of treacherous allies and merciless enemies.

This season we may see the Starks, or what's left of the family now the house has gone, assert themselves after three seasons of reacting to the consequence of a war that has cost them so much.The numerous trailers released show that this may happen this season as we see Bran use his abilities, Jon fight against the Wildlings and Arya with a sword in hand which all suggests that what's left of the Stark brood may engage in some real Badassery during this season.

In sum, I can't wait for season to get going as there aren't many Starks left to kill and enough Lannisters around for the slaughter.